What if Squirrelflight had chosen Ashfur over Brambleclaw?
ALLEGIANCES- THUNDERCLAN Leader- Firestar (handsome ginger tom Deputy- Graystripe (long haired grey tom) Medicine Cat- Leafpool (light brown tabby she-cat) Warriors Dustpelt (dark brown tabby tom) Sandstorm (pale ginger she-cat) Brackenfur (golden brown tabby tom) Apprentice, Whitepaw Thornclaw (golden brown tabby tom) Brightheart (white she-cat with ginger patches) Brambleclaw (dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes) Ashfur (pale grey tom with darker flecks tom and amber eyes) Apprentice, Birchpaw Rainwhisker (dark gray tom with blue eyes) Squirrelflight (dark ginger she-cat with green eyes) Spiderleg (long-limbed black tom with amber eyes and a brown underbelly) Queens Ferncloud (pale grey she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes) Sorreltail (tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes) Daisy (cream coloured, long-furred cat from the horseplace) Elders Goldenflower (pale ginger she-cat) Longtail (pale tabby tom with black stripes, retired early due to loss of sight) Mousefur (small dusky brown she-cat) ________________________________________________________________________________________ PROLOGUE Squirrelflight lay, restless, beneath the shining spirits of Silverpelt. Her eyes were shut tight yet sleep would not claim her. As she stretched her aching muscles, the young warrior wished with all her heart that she could just forget about the complicated mess that came with being a warrior and just go back to being a happy, care-free apprentice with only boredom to worry about. Those days had been more precious than the first daffodil rising after a harsh winter, and she had been too preoccupied with becoming a warrior to enjoy them. The dark ginger she-cat tried to clear her mind, but her thoughts were constantly invaded by two cats. Brambleclaw and Ashfur. Ashfur and Brambleclaw. She heard voices somewhere far-off, but disregarded them immediately. Despite her restlessness, the day had been long and tiring, even for the energetic she-cat. She knew that her sister was going through something similar in the medicine cat's den, and was sorely tempted to go and join her, but isolation, if voluntary, was precious for a cat so accustomed to the chaotic rush of clan life. "Squirrelflight!" a voice hissed. Squirrelflight opened one eye warily. Before her stood a dark brown tabby tom. At first, she was sure that Tigerstar, the dark-hearted cat that shared Brambleclaw's blood, had come to take her life. But then she saw that this cat was a little younger. "Brambleclaw!" she exclaimed, her heart fluttering like a butterfly in spring. "I'm not who you think you are." the cat replied darkly. Embarrassed, Squirrelflight noticed that instead of the familiar burning amber gaze, an icy cold blue glare met her eyes. This was not Brambleclaw. This was not the brave young warrior that had accompanied her to sun-drown-place. "Who are you?" she mewed as calmly as she could manage. "I'm here to show you what your heart is saying." the tom mewed. "I said, who are you?" the Thunderclan she-cat snarled again. The dark brown tabby tom did not reply. His icy cold blue eyes narrowed as he regarded her. "Follow me." he muttered. With that, Brambleclaw's look-alike turned and fled into the forest. Squirrelflight noticed that his movements were ungraceful and his confident stare flickered at every rustling sound of the forest. This cat, whoever he was, was not from Thunderclan. They ran for what felt like a hundred moons, but eventually the two cats found themselves in another forest. Unlike Thunderclan's forest, this place was not teeming with plants and life. It was a bare, barren nightmare with only ungainly gnarled oaks for trees. Instead of the scents of wildlife, only the scent of death filled Squirrelflight's nostrils. "Where are we?" she mewed uncertaintly. The tom padded a little futher, and recognition glowed in his eyes. He flicked his tail. "Come." he mewed. Curious, the young warrior followed him to see what he was looking at. And gave a yowl of horror.